Wellhead sidewall electrical penetrator

Abstract

The present invention provides a penetrator for a wellhead in order to get a communication line for a down hole device out of a well through the wellhead. In particular, the line is brought up into the hanger for less than the full axial extent of the hanger, then led laterally out through the side of the hanger and out through the sidewall of the head below the hanger-to-head annulus seal. The communication line may be an electrical cable with particularly placed connecting fittings in the hanger and head and is shown providing for side access for easy, horizontal plug-in installation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wellhead sidewall communications line penetrator arrangement for linking a communication line that is to extend within a well to a down hole device with a communication line which is to extend outside the well to a remotely located control site, said penetrator arrangement comprising:   a tubing head having a throughbore with a tubing hanger seat therein:   a tubing hanger having a throughbore means for hangingly supporting a tubing string;   said tubing hanger further having a shoulder for seating the tubing hanger on said tubing hanger seat, and means cooperable with the tubing head for providing and fixing a predetermined angular orientation of the tubing hanger relative to the tubing head;   means defining a penetrator passageway extending into the tubing hanger from the axially lower end of the tubing hanger and laterally, at least generally horizontally, out of the tubing hanger through the side of the tubing hanger below the axially upper end of the tubing hanger;   sealing means for sealing between the tubing head throughbore and the tubing hanger in such a sense as to seal off a vicinity surrounding where the penetrator passageway emerges out the side of the tubing hanger;   means defining a penetrator passageway extension in the form of a bore extending laterally, at least generally horizontally, through the tubing head from the throughbore of the tubing head to the exterior of the tubing head;   a first penetrator portion comprising a body means having a lower end and an outer end and with at least one communication line communicating member extending from said lower end to said outer end, said at least one communication line member being provided with a communication line connector means at each end thereof;   said first penetrator portion being configured for installation in said penetrator passageway so that its lower end is accessable from the axially lower end of tubing hanger and so that its outer end lies within said penetrator passageway near the outer end of said penetrator passageway;   packing and packing activation means installable about said first penetrator portion in said penetrator passageway for forming a circumferential seal between said first penetrator portion and said tubing hanger within said penetrator passageway;   a further penetrator portion comprising a body having an inner end and an outer end with at least one communication line communicating member extending from said inner end to said outer end, said at least one communication line member being provided with a communication line connector means at each end thereof;   said communication line connector means at the lower end of said first penetrator portion being configured for connection with said communication line that is to extend within said well;   said communication line connector means at the outer end of said first penetrator portion being configured for connection with said communication line connector means at the inner end of said further penetrator portion;   said communication line connector means at the outer end of said further penetrator portion being configured for connection with said communication line that is to extend outside said well to a remotely located control site;   packing and packing activation means installable about said further penetrator portion in said penetrator passageway extension for forming a circumferential seal between said further penetrator portion and said tubing head within said penetrator passageway;   said penetrator passageway including a vertical leg which intersects a lateral leg within the tubing hanger; and   said first penetrator portion comprising a vertical penetrator element extending in the vertical leg of the penetrator passageway, and a lateral penetrator element extending only in the lateral leg of the penetrator passageway, the vertical and lateral penetrator elements being operatively plugged together within the penetrator passageway via connector means provided on each of said vertical and lateral penetrator elements.   
     
     
       2. The wellhead sidewall communications line penetrator arrangement of claim 1, wherein: said communication line connector means of said first and other penetrator portions are constituted by respective electrical conductor wires.   
     
     
       3. The wellhead sidewall communication line penetrator arrangement of claim 2, wherein: said connector means provided on said vertical and lateral penetrator elements for plugging these elements together with the penetrator passageway are constituted by respective multi-conductor coaxial electrical connectors.   
     
     
       4. A wellhead sidewall communications line penetrator arrangement for connecting an electrical cable within a well with an electrical cable outside the well, said penetrator arrangement comprising:   a tubing hanger having a first penetrator member that sealingly extends in a penetrator passageway within the tubing hanger from the axially lower end of the tubing hanger to the sidewall of the tubing hanger below the axially upper end of the tubing hanger;   the first penetrator member including an electrical cable means having a first connector accessable from the axially lower end of the tubing hanger for connection with said electrical cable with said well and a second connector recessed in the tubing hanger but accessable through the sidewall of the tubing hanger;   a tubing head having said tubing hanger received and mounted therein, said tubing head having a sidewall provided with a bore extending laterally therethrough;   a further penetrator member including an electrical cable means having a first connector at an inner end thereof and a second connector at an outer end thereof with an electrical cable means extending therebetween;   said further penetrator member being received in said tubing head lateral bore, and sealed with the tubing head intermediate the ends of said further penetrator member, with the said first connector thereof being plugged into said second connector of said first penetrator member and said second connector of said further penetrator member being disposed for access exteriorly of the tubing head;   said penetrator passageway including a vertical leg which intersects a lateral leg within the tubing hanger; and   said first penetrator portion comprising a vertical penetrator element extending in the vertical leg of the penetrator passageway, and a lateral penetrator element extending only in the lateral leg of the penetrator passageway, the vertical and lateral penetrator elements being operatively plugged together within the penetrator passageway via connector means provided on each of said vertical and lateral penetrator elements.